|
Jones faces charges for fraud, arson |
|
|
Friday, 09 October 2009 |
Benton attorney and developer Aaron Jones was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury that has charged him with arson and mail fraud in conjunction with a May 30, 2008, fire that destroyed the $1.6 million home he and wife Abigail owned at 43 Chenal Circle in Little Rock.
Jones faces five counts of mail fraud in conjunction with an insurance fraud scheme that involved the alleged intentional burning of his home.
The Joneses reportedly purchased the 5,700-square-foot house in 2005 for $1.6 million and had been attempting to sell the gated structure for a year before the fire.
Immediately after the incident, rumors persisted that the account Jones gave authorities may not have been truthful.
He claimed an unknown intruder bound and gagged him with duct tape before setting fire to the house.
At that time Little Rock police Lt. Terry Hastings said authorities were investigating the incident as a home invasion involving arson. Hastings said he was aware of the rumors involving Jones, "but until we have proof otherwise, that's how we'll continue our investigation."
Much speculation emanated from various news outlets and blogs that Jones had experienced financial burdens and possibly played a role in the incident.
Jones' wife and children were away on a trip and he was the only person in the house when the incident occurred, he said in varying accounts.
Until recently Jones was a partner with Don Spears at Spears and Jones law office and title company, 113 S. Market St. in Downtown Benton.
According to the indictment, Jones' home was listed for sale at a price of $1.6 million — down from an initial asking price of $2.2 million — when it burned. The indictment said Jones and his wife had missed making a balloon payment of $331,000 and had to renegotiate a mortgage.
The indictment also noted that Jones later claimed a loss of $2.8 million from the fire and an insurance company paid $1.2 million to the primary mortgage holder.
Tim Dudley, Jones' legal counsel, claims his client is innocent.
"They can't prove that he set (the fire) or that he caused it. He didn't do it," Dudley reportedly told the Arkansas Business newspaper.
Hastings said the department received a call from Jones at 1:45 a.m. That was about 15 minutes after a neighbor, Crystal Reid, told a news outlet that Jones crawled to her house and banged on the door.
"He said his hands were duct-taped in front of him," Hastings said. "He said he woke up and saw this male standing over him with a gun."
Jones, 33, reportedly said he believed his assailant to be "like 6 feet, 200 pounds."
After the fire, Jones reportedly said on the Arkansas Times blog that he couldn't think of anyone who would want to cause him harm. However, he also said as a lawyer he could understand that investigators might consider whether he had a role. "But I sure as hell wouldn't set my house on fire with me in it," he said. I'd never take a chance at burning myself alive."
He said there was nothing of great value in the home that would have attracted robbers, but said there were things that meant a great deal to him and his family.
"We love that house," he said. "We love our stuff. We lost everything — my wife's wedding dress, pictures of a trip of a lifetime to Europe, all my kids' toys, my Eagle Scout badge and merit badges, my first teddy bear. ... It's the kind of stuff you can't replace. I just walked out of the house with gym shorts and the T-shirt I was wearing."
In the same blog, Jones was quoted as saying: "I've never had anyone threaten me. I've had disagreements. We're among the largest land developers in Central Arkansas and we do a lot of projects in a lot of places, and every now and then people are not always happy. I've also been a judge in Haskell. But I never thought anything had ever happened to cause me alarm or concern for my safety."
According to the indictment charging Jones, he devised a scheme to commit insurance fraud regarding the home he and his spouse purchased at 43 Chenal Circle.
When the house at 43 Chenal Circle was purchased on or about May 5, 2005, Jones and his spouse insured the house and its contents with The Standard Fire Insurance Company/The Travelers Companies Inc. against loss or damage by any peril not specifically excluded, such as by fire. This policy was renewed annually, including on or about May 5, 2008, for the time period May 5, 2008 through May 5, 2009.
In the policy's "exclusions" section, it states that no intentional losses would be covered, meaning any loss arising out of any act ommitted by or at the direciton of an insured party and with the intent to cause a loss.
|
Razorbacks
